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Editors Notes

Editor: For the latest news as it arrives check out my Twitter page, the Doctor Who Roundup is now going out weekly on Fridays, plus don't forget to vote for you favourite episodes (multiple choices allowed) in the series ten poll.

Thursday, 13 July 2017

Titan Comics are thrilled to announce their Doctor Who plans for this summer’s San Diego Comic-Con (July 20-23) – bringing fans the best from the universe of Doctor Who including special issues, panels and signings!

During the show, Titan is releasing a Doctor Who Convention Special comic entitled “The Last Action Figure” – an all-new Doctor Whostory featuring the TV show’s current companion, Bill Potts, played by Pearl Mackie.

Written by Richard Dinnick, with art by Mariano Laclaustra, Carlos Cabrera and Nico Selma, this convention special comic comes with two fantastic collectable covers by Alice X. Zhang featuring the Twelfth Doctor and Bill Potts.

Doctor Who fans attending 2017’s San Diego Comic-Con can purchase this special comic, along with a fantastic range of other Doctor Who comics and collections, at the Titan booth #5537.

Additionally, do not miss Titan’s Doctor Who & Torchwood Comics Panel (http://sched.co/BQ2s) where writers Nick Abadzis, Richard Dinnick, George Mann, Brian Miller, Cavan Scott, and Doctor Who editor Andrew James will reveal upcoming plans for Titan’s Doctor Who and Torchwood comics and take you behind the scenes with exclusive art previews from the line! This highly anticipated panel will take place on Saturday, July 22 at 3:30PM in room 5AB. Plus, every attendee will receive five free comics!

Titan’s top talent will be signing Doctor Who comics over the weekend at Titan’s booth, #5537, with the opportunity for fans to meet their favorite Doctor Who comic creators, including Nick Abadzis, Paul Cornell, George Mann, Cavan Scott and Alice X. Zhang.

Nick Abadzis, George Mann and Cavan Scott will be signing at Titan Booth #5537 at 11AM on Saturday, July 22. Paul Cornell, Richard Dinnick and Alice X. Zhang will be signing from 1PM on Sunday, July 23 at Titan Booth #5537.

Doctor Who’s Brian Minchin is stepping off the Tardis after this year’s Christmas Special and taking on a brand new role with the production house that brings us Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock.

Deadline reports that Minchin is to be Head of Drama development for Hartswood West, the Cardiff production base for Beryl and Sue Vertue’s Hartswood Films.

The move means Minchin will still be working alongside Doctor Who colleague Steven Moffat, with whom he’s enjoyed quite a fruitful professional partnership over the past few years. The duo surely must be set to take quite a few adventures in time (though perhaps not space) together if any period dramas pop up.

Hartswood is, of course, best known to Sherlock fans as the home of their beloved detective series, though it remains to be seen whether Minchin could be involved in any future Holmes episodes. We’re not even sure we’ll get any yet!

“I’ve worked very closely with Brian for the last four years, on Doctor Who, and he’s a brilliant and creative producer and a good friend” said Steven Moffat. “Now that I’m leaving Who to concentrate on Hartswood projects, I couldn’t be more delighted that Brian is doing the same.”

The actor, who brought a Northern edge to the traveling Time Lord in BBC’s 2005 revival, appeared in 13 episodes before leaving the TARDIS—for reasons that, to this day, remain as mysterious as the Doctor.

Russell offered no further explanation, leaving the contents of Eccleston’s video up to Whovians’ wild imaginations.

Could this mean the Ninth Doctor, famously cagey about leaving Doctor Who after one season, has dropped whatever grudge he held against the program? We may never know.

But I wouldn’t hold my breath for Eccleston’s surprise return in December’s Christmas episode (already chock full of special guests)—the last ever to feature Moffat and star Peter Capaldi.

Doctor Who returned to the small screen in 2005 under the tutelage of executive producers Russell T. Davies and Julie Gardner; Moffat’s only contribution was the two-parter “The Empty Child”/”The Doctor Dances.”

So, unless Eccleston developed a deep-seated anxiety toward gas masks (I can’t be the only one!), it’s unclear what beef he would have with the writer-turned-showrunner.

Moffat even admitted a few years ago that he had plans for the former Gallifreyan to appear in the 50th anniversary, “but I was pretty certain Chris wouldn’t do it,” despite agreeing to “a couple of meetings.”

This isn’t Eccleston’s first remote-message rodeo: During a British Film Institute event celebrating the Ninth Doctor, host Justin Johnson read out a note from Eccleston:

“I love the Doctor and hope you enjoy this presentation,” he said, praising director Joe Ahearne, who helmed five of season one’s 13 episodes. “He understood the tone the show needed completely—strong, bold, pacy visuals coupled with wit, warmth and a twinkle in the performances.

“If Joe agrees to direct the 100th anniversary special, I will bring my sonic and a stair-lift and—providing the Daleks don’t bring theirs—I, the Ninth Doctor, vow to save the universe and all you apes in it,” Eccleston promised.

Wednesday, 12 July 2017

Does the wait for news of the next star of Doctor Who bring you out in a Dalek-style rage? Well here’s something that’ll quell your metaphorical plunger: not even the director of the upcoming Christmas special knows who it is.

Rachel Talalay, the director of Peter Capaldi’s final episode, claimed on Twitter that she doesn’t know who will be the Thirteenth Doctor. Talalay said that she had "no knowledge" of which actor will replace Peter Capaldi.

To answer general q's: No trip to SDCC for me this year. No knowledge of 13. No idea about S11. Reading some books. Any recommendations?

That could seem a little odd seeing how Capaldi recently finished his last day on the Who set. That surely means his regeneration scene has been filmed and Talalay knows who’s taking control of the Tardis, right?

Well, not necessarily. The simplest solution to the puzzle may be the obvious one: the regeneration is being filmed in two parts, with Capaldi not needed for the second. That’s just what happened in previous regenerations, with the incoming Doctor’s role in the scene filmed once the outgoing actor has finished their work.

The two actors aren’t needed on the same set at the same time. In fact, when Colin Baker regenerated into Sylvester McCoy, Baker didn’t turn up to set at all: McCoy played both Doctors, donning a blonde wig to play Baker’s part.

While we can be fairly sure Peter Capaldi’s replacement won’t rock up wearing an out-of-control grey headpiece, we’re less sure about what will actually happen in the Christmas special.

Panini UK today announces a change of editor for the long-running Doctor Who Magazine. The magazine, first published in 1979, celebrated its 500th issue last year, and is recognised by Guinness as the world’s longest-running TV tie-in magazine. Tom Spilsbury, editor since August 2007, is stepping down from his position after publication of issue 515 (on sale from Thursday 27 July 2017), and will be replaced by Marcus Hearn, a long-standing writer for DWM, who also previously co-edited the title in the 1990s, and has recently been the editor of the DWM Special Editions and the spin-off title The Essential Doctor Who.

Tom Spilsbury said: “After 10 years as editor of Doctor Who Magazine, it’s time for a change – both for me, and for the magazine. As the newly regenerated Second Doctor said in The Power of the Daleks, way back in 1966, ‘Life depends on change and renewal’, and I’ve made it a policy to always pay attention to my Doctor. Of course, it’s been a very difficult decision for me, to give up a job that I love so much. DWM has always been a part of my life – virtually my earliest memory of life on this planet was of my Dad buying a copy of issue 1 for me, way back in 1979, when I was just three years old. It was 2003 when I got the job of a lifetime as DWM’s assistant editor, and four years later, I finally got the top job. It’s been simply amazing to have had the honour to be producing the magazine over such a successful and eventful decade in Doctor Who’s history. However, having taken charge of 129 editions, including the 400th and 500th issues, it’s time for someone else to have a go in the driver’s seat. Marcus Hearn is a brilliant editor, and DWM is the greatest magazine in the galaxy. I’m so looking forward to being able to read it each month without already knowing what’s going to be in it! And I truly hope that I’ll still be around in the year 2054 to enjoy issue 1000, even if it’s beamed directly into our heads by then…”

Marcus Hearn said: “This magazine is unique, and it’s a unique honour to be entrusted with it. We’re all grateful to Tom for his unparalleled dedication. I’d like to build on his achievements, and I can’t wait to start working with my colleagues at Panini. A new chapter is about to begin for the television series, and this will be a new chapter for DWM too.”

Mike Riddell, Managing Director of Panini UK added: “Tom’s contribution to the magazine over the past 14 years has been immense and we will miss his passion and knowledge of the brand which is second to none. Marcus brings a fresh approach to the magazine as well as a wealth of experience in magazine publishing.”

Tuesday, 11 July 2017

Filmmaker and TV critic Victor Lewis-Smith has put his plans for a Doctor Who film about the Daleks on hold.

The Undiscovered Daleks, as it was to be called, is understood to have hit various snags including copyright issues according to sources close to the project.

Promising to feature never-before-seen outtakes of the lethal machines from Skaro, and stories galore about their antics, the project has been a labour of love for Lewis-Smith who is a huge fan of the Daleks. In fact his home in northern France has two of them acting as sentry by the doors…

The film needed to raise £250,000 within 25 days of launching last month but the crowdfunder page says it has not been successful. However it is understood that, even before the deadline had elapsed, the production faced what one source said were "copyright issues".

It is thought that Lewis-Smith, a veteran programme maker as well as a critic who produces programmes for his company Associated Rediffusion, remains keen to return to the idea.

Telling RadioTimes.com about his excitement for the new venture he said: "Throughout my career, the BBC have commissioned hundreds of programmes from me. And still are. But there's one proposal they have always rejected. That's the unexpurgated history of the Daleks. Why? What secrets about the Daleks do they want to keep hidden? Only by crowdfunding will I be able to make The Undiscovered Daleks and tell the full story behind these sinister pepper pots.”

The film promised to disclose details include a story about the Queen’s supposed interest in the Daleks. Another promised snippet was a montage of all the times the Daleks have quoted Shakespeare since they first appeared in the show in 1963.

Lewis-Smith's most recent project was the critically acclaimed The Undiscovered Peter Cook on BBC4 which presented a gold mine of never-before-heard or seen material from the legendary comic.

Watch the full Q&A with Pearl Mackie and Steven Moffat from Saturday
night, talking about World Enough and Time, with performances from the
BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Presented by Jason Mohammed and
Christel Dee.

This was originally live streamed on the BBC One Facebook page on Saturday 24th June 2017.

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